ABSTRACT
As Jean Monnet observed when asked how to reconcile France and Germany within the framework of a united Western Europe in the face of the heavy burden of past antagonisms, in order to find the solution it is necessary to change the context in which the problem is set. Three major conflict structures converged to form the essential ingredients of an explosive compound: Vietnam-Kampuchea, China-Vietnam, and the strategic triangle of the US, China, and the Soviet Union. Vietnam was the catalyst which fused these conflict structures together because it served as the geographical and political link between Kampuchea and China. The breakdown of negotiations between Vietnam and Kampuchea led to escalation which prompted Kampuchea to seek a Chinese deterrent which caused Vietnam to look for ways to counter what it perceived as an impending military challenge from China.
